By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The Benue State Government has said it is difficult to control the tide of birth in the camp of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the state, maintaining that IDPs are humans and have need for intimacy.
While reacting to the birth of 80 babies in seven months in IDP camps in the state, the Executive Secretary, Benue Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) Dr. Emmanuel Shior said the situation has become more complex since couples are living together in the camp.
Shior spoke on Friday in Makurdi during the agency’s monthly distribution of relief materials to the IDPs.
While revealing that the deliveries were registered by the agency, Shior said, “The agency is very strict on illicit sexual affairs in the camps.
“It is very difficult to control the tide of births in the camps, the IDPs are human beings.
“It is the nature of man, even when they don’t have food to eat they have the desire for sex, that cannot be taken away from the IDPs. Most of them have their families at the camps.
“The aspect we try to control is unmarried people sleeping with each other; other unlawful sexual acts are also forbidden in the camps.”
The SEMA boss also hinted that the agency would distribute 3,000 bags of rice, 2,000 bags of maize and guinea corn, 1,000 cartons of noodles, bags of garri and beans to all IDPs in the state.
He said the relief materials would be distributed to IDPs in Makurdi, Guma, Logo, Agatu, Gwer West, Kwande, and Okpokwu camps, among others.
The executive secretary said that the agency was doing everything within its powers to ensure that the IDPs enjoy some level of comfort while in camp.
